Resilient wheel



July 29, 1941. w. w. LITTLE 2,251,063

ARESILIENT WHEEL Filed Jan. 2'7, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Aiiorney July 29, 1941'. w. w. LITTLE RESILIENT-WHEEL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Jan. 27, 1941 In ventor eb sfer Warn Zf/f/e A iiorney PatentedJuly 29, 1941 #54 2 UNITED "TNT 1;

I {RESIIIIENT WHEEL Webster Warn Little, National ,Park, N. J., as-

Signor of twenty-five per cent to Senga Merri V tries v sonlves, NewYork, N. Y. r I v V Application'January 27,1941,serialNasvazoe v b I3Claims. (c1; 152 105) 1 Y L\ The present invention relates to newand'use Mounted between the inner portions of the ful improvements inresilient Wheels and has- 'for disks I is an annulus8 of suitable metalsaid its primary object to provide, in a manner as annulusbeingsubstantially U'-shaped in cross hereinafter set forthfa device of thischaracter section. The annulus 8 is secured between the which is adaptedto absorb road shock in a'ddi disks I by bolts 9. The annulus 8 haspressed tion to materially reducing the unsprung weight outwardlytherein at circumferentially spaced of the vehicle. points;substantially concave apertured seats In Another very important objectof the inventhe purposeof which will be presently set forth; tion is toprovide a Wheel of the aforementioned slidably mounted between the outerportions character comprising what may be referred to of the disks I isa channel rin The S e as a floating rim mounting, the construction wallsI2 of the channel'ring II are provided with and arrangement being suchas to permit limited laterally offset outer portions I3. Mounted oncircumferential as well as radial movement of the outwardly oifsetportions I3 of the channel the rim and tire relative to the wheel. ringII and extending inwardly therefrom for Other objects of the inventionare to provide sliding contact with the outer faces of the disks aresilient wheel of the character described I is a pair of fiat siderings I4. Mounted in the which will be comparatively simple in construeinner faces of the side rings I4 are packings I5 tion, strong, durable,highly efficient and reliable which prevent the passage of foreignmatter, in use, compact, light in weight, attractive in such as mud andwater, between said side rings appearance and which may be manufacturedat and the disks I. low cost. The channel ring II has formed therein, at7 All of the foregoing and still further objects spaced points,circumferentially elongated openand advantages of the invention willbecome ings or slots I6 for alignment with the openings apparent from astudy of the following specifica- I1 in the seats I'D. Passing throughthe opention, taken in connection with the accompanying ings I6 and I1are bolts I8 which yieldingly condrawings wherein like characters ofreference nect the channel ring II to the annulus 8. designatecorresponding parts throughout the Threaded for adjustment on the innerend porseveral views, and wherein: tions of the bolts I8 are roundednuts I9 which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a reare rockablyengaged in the concave seats l0. silient wheel constructed in accordancewith the Coil springs 20 encircle the bolts I8 between the presentinvention, portions being broken away channel ring II and the annulus 8.Washers to expose the inner elements. 2| are mounted on the headed outerend portions" Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through a of the boltsI8. Mounted on the outer portions portion of the wheel, takensubstantially on the of the bolts I8, between the washers 2| and theline 22 of Figure 1. channel ring II, are coil springs 22.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a portion of the Bolts 23 secure the siderings I4 to the offset floating channel ring. portions I3 of the channelring I I. The periph- Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in section, eralportions of the elements I3 and I 4 are taken substantially on the line4-4 of Figure 1. adapted to receive and support a demountable Figure 5is a cross sectional view, taken subrim 24 which carries a pneumatictire 25. Lugs stantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1. 26 are provided oncertain of the bolts 23 for Figure 6 is an elevational view of a portionof retaining the demountable rim 24. one of the side rings, looking atthe inner fac It is thought that the manner in which the inth r ivention functions will be readily apparent from a Referring now to thedrawings in detail, it will consideration of the foregoing. As the wheelbe seen that the embodiment of the invention travels over irregularitiesthe channel ring II which has been illustrated comprises a pair of movesinwardly and outwardly, also circumferencomplemental disks I of suitablemetal. The tially, between the disks I, said channel ring hedisks I haveformed therein centrally located ing floatingly supported between thecoil springs openings 2 which accommodate the portion 3 of 2!] and 22.The slots I6 through which the bolts a conventional hub 4. The disks Ifurther in- I8 pass allow limited circumferential movement eludeinwardly oiTset abutting flanges 5 which of the channel ring I Irelative to the annulus 8, are removably secured to the hub 4 throughthe the rounded nuts I9 rocking in the seats II] when medium of studs 6and nuts I, said flanges being such movement occurs. The openings I! aresuf. apertured for the reception of the studs. ficiently large to permitmovement of the bolts I8 in this manner. The tension of the coil springs20 and 22 may be regulated as desired through the medium of the nuts l9.

It is believed that the many advantages of a resilient wheel constructedin accordance with the present invention will be readily understood andalthough a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A resilient wheel comprising a pair of spaced disks, a fixed annulusmounted between said disks and forming a brace for the disks, a channelring having its base portion slidably mounted between the disks, boltsloosely connecting the channel ring to the annulus, coil springs mountedon the bolts between the channel ring and the annulus, coil springsmounted on the bolts between the outer ends thereof and the channelring, and means for securing a rim on the outer edge of said channelring.

2. A resilient wheel comprising a pair of spaced disks, means forsecuring said disks to a hub, an annulus fixed between the disks andforming a brace for the disks, a channel ring having its base portionslidably mounted between said disks, resilient means yieldinglyconnecting the channel ring to the annulus for radial andcircumferential movement relative to the disks. the channel ringincluding outwardly projecting side walls comprising ofiset peripheralportions, side rings mounted on said outwardly offset peripheralportions and slidably engaged with the outer faces of the disks, andmeans for securing a rim on the channel ring and the side rings.

3. A resilient wheel comprising a pair of spaced disks, a fixed annulusmounted between said disks, substantially concave seats projectingoutwardly from the annulus and having openings therein, a channel ringslidably mounted between the disks outwardly of the annulus, saidchannel ring having circumferentially extending slots therein, boltspassing through the openings and the slots, washers mounted on the outerend portions of the bolts, coil springs mounted on the bolts betweensaid washers and the channel ring, coil springs mounted on the boltsbetween said channel ring and the annulus, rounded retaining nutsthreaded on the inner end portions of the bolts and rockably engaged inthe seats, and means for securing a rim on the channel ring.

WEBSTER WARN LITTLE.

